Leeds United: It’s all about hitting the ground running says Monk

Lee Sobot

GARRY MONK admits he holds a long-term vision for his Leeds United tenure but must “hit the ground running” before speaking about anything other than a one-year rolling contract.

Former Swansea City manager Monk has dropped into English football’s second tier to become Steve Evans’ successor and has admitted there is no point “shying away” from the aim of promotion to the Premier League.

The 37-year-old has quickly highlighted United’s potential but – asked about his one-year rolling contract – was quick to stress the importance of getting off to a strong start,

Monk reasoned: “I think every manager when they come into a club would love to tell you about a long term plan and we’d all love to put this in process and it will take four or five years. But that’s not how football works.

“You have to make sure you hit the ground running – of course there is that longer term vision – but you have to make sure that you get it right in the short term as well and right now it is just focusing on this season coming up.

“My first point of call will be making sure that everything is sorted out pre-season-wise logistically and making sure the players come back in a good condition and then ready to work with them.

“We’ll get that period done and then look to the future but it’s really taking it at this moment in time – day by day, training session by training session and game by game and really trying to grow it from there.”

Monk has stressed that another first priority is to bring in his former assistant manager at Swansea, Pep Clotet, as his Whites no 2. The head coach said on Thursday that he was hopeful of recruiting Clotet “in the next few days.”

United have also received good news on the injury front with top scorer Chris Wood only straining his shoulder whilst away on international duty with New Zealand, not dislocating it as was first feared.

Wood picked up the injury in the early stages of New Zealand’s Oceania Nations Cup 5-0 victory over Vanuatu in Group B – a game in which the 24-year-old netted a brace. New Zealand coach Anthony Hudson said: “We hope to have him available for the semi-final if we are to make it.”